The Crow And The Butterfly
by ChaseTheBreeze
Summary: Kaylee left Charming twelve years ago. But now she's back, determined to live out a second chance. Along with her desire, comes a sordid past, one that's personal for those of S.A.M.C.R.O. With few friends, and the odds stacked against her, Kaylee must work hard to clear her name. Some flames refuse to die however, proving redemption all the more difficult. Chibs/OC
1. Sunshine

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons Of Anarchy, or any of it's affiliations.**_

_**Sunshine:**_

Stale cigarette smoke filled the club-house. Just passed the doors where Kaylee stood, was hot California air, crashing with a cool, artificial breeze. The memory slammed against her senses, triggered by the familiar smell of wooden floors and leather.

"Hasn't changed much." Said Tara, leading the way to the bar counter, handful of grocery bags in tow. Kaylee followed behind her, arms filled with her own cargo.

There was something, maybe words, or tears, stuck in the back of Kaylee's throat, leaving her incapable of speaking. So instead she gave a nod of acknowledgement, and continued surveying the room.

It was big and open. No real barrier between comfy couches, lazy arm chairs, and bar tables. The ceiling was high, decorated by dust and long fans that never stopped spinning.

Tara began opening the contents of the paper bags, revealing numerous bottles of liquor, chips, and other social food items. Kaylee followed suit, only mildly surprised when a prospect appeared from the back room, and began wordlessly putting the items away.

She could just barely see the curve in the walls, where the club-house melded into a long hallway, dotted with bedrooms for its many members. Who was home? Panic set in just then.

"Where is everyone?" Kaylee asked. Her voice was strong, holding no evidence of its earlier paralysis.

Tara inspected a bottle of Gin before handing it to the prospect with specific instructions. The label on the front read _Jameson. _"They're out on a run." Tara finally said, and began folding the empty paper bags. "They'll be back in time for tonight."

Tonight? Kaylee shot a questioning look at Tara, who responded kindly. "The 'official' celebration of Jackson's promotion." Mused Tara, though she sounded less than thrilled.

Kaylee quirked an eyebrow, leaning against the bar counter. That position wasn't at all comfortable, but it gave her easy access to the rest of the room.

There was no one inside, save for the prospect, and another man in the kitchen, listening to swing music and stirring something in a large pot. He wore a dress shirt and pants. Kaylee doubted he was a Crow.

It pained her to agree; that Tara was right. Not much had changed. There was a few cosmetic differences, sure; but all in all; the head-quarters of S.A.M.C.R.O filled the air inside it with a distinct, purposeful glow. The kinds that either made you feel scared to death, or perfectly at home.

"Take it you're not happy about that?" Kaylee asked, returning her gaze to Tara, who had finished folding the paper bags.

Tara sighed, eyes giving a slight roll. "It's not that. We all could use a bit of fun, especially with what's been going on lately. I just wish we had some time to breathe first."

Kaylee nodded her head sympathetically. She was happy Tara was opening up to her. Her kindness meant the world to Kaylee. Still, she didn't want to test fate. "Should I stay low for a while?" The red head asked.

"No, actually. I was thinking you should come." At Kaylee's shocked expression, Tara continued. "Not everyone hates you, you know."

Kaylee couldn't help but laugh. The sound echoed through the empty room. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It will be fun." Tara said.

Eager to leave, Kaylee didn't protest as Tara grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She didn't steal one last look, or even hold her breath as she exited. Her mind was filled with a concentrated purpose.

They entered the California sunshine once again, clear blue skies stretched endlessly up ahead, as if it was happy to see them. Kaylee's hand found the gold claddagh around her neck.

Driving away she played with it silently, a pair of brooding brown eyes filling her vision.

* * *

**What do you think? Leave me a review! This is a short and sweet introductory chapter. Don't worry, longer ones are to come.**


	2. Shots

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons Of Anarchy or any of it's affiliations.**

* * *

Kaylee snubbed out the cigarette with her boot, smashing the tobacco filled paper violently into concrete. She didn't often smoke. But this was an especially trying moment that called for a few hits of nicotine, and the buzz that came with it.

Tara stepped out of the car along with Kaylee, dressed in the same thing she wore earlier, only this time with a bit of make-up on her eyes. Kaylee's transformation, however, was another matter entirely.

She wore dark blue skinny jeans, tucked snugly into the neck of a pair of biker boots. Her torso adorned a flannel top, sleeves rolled to her elbows. The first few buttons were undone, revealing the beginnings of a generous chest. Tara decided there wasn't much to be done with Kaylee's long, curling red hair. So they doused it with hair spray and pinned it back to keep the crimson from her eyes.

Coffee pumped through Kaylee's system. Long nights at the office made coffee intake somewhat of an addiction.

The sun was setting over Charming, leaving only a pale streak of pink on the horizon. But even that would soon give way to darkness. Teller-Morrow was layered with bikes of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many held their owners, clinging to gorilla-bars in one hand, a beer in the other.

Kaylee could see the clubhouse glowing with light, shadows of constant movement coming from inside. The thought of all those people made her stomach turn. Then again, the people inside wouldn't all be S.A.M.C.R.O members. Maybe she could blend in without making a scene.

The idea seemed improbable, because even though she was probably right, there was STILL Crows inside. They had no idea she was back in town; and better yet; that she was here to stay. How would they react? Kaylee spent so much time playing different scenarios over and over again in her head, that now, with the moment of truth merely a few steps away, none of those visions seemed right.

Kaylee watched the shrinking sunlight, then looked at Tara.

_I'm not sure I can do this_; her gaze read.

Tara crossed the hood of the car to stand in front of Kaylee. "You'll be fine." She said, touching Kaylee's shoulders. "Look, I'll be with you almost the whole time. If anything happens, we'll just leave, okay?"

Kaylee nodded. She wanted to look brave, confident even. But at the moment her courage was at her feet along with a smashed up cigarette.

With no allowance for backing down, Tara hooked her arm through Kaylee's and made way for the Clubhouse.

For the second time that day, Kaylee stepped upon memory lane.

"Over here," Tara said, steering Kaylee to the bar, where just hours ago they stood and laughed. "Wait here while I find Jax." She said, and motioned to a prospect. "Two shots, please." Turning to Kaylee she added; "Wait until I get back."

Kaylee shook her head slightly, allowing a curtain of hair to fall down the side of her face. From her vantage point she gazed around the room, taking a fraction of a second on each face she could see. Tara's tiny frame retreated into the distance. It was one of the few she recognized. There were others, though. Girls she grew up with, looking much older than they had at sixteen and seventeen.

Kaylee had no way of knowing if the men they hung on to were members of S.A.M.C.R.O. But some of the faces she knew, too. Juice, who was a handful of years younger than her, was on his knees being fed some sort of liquor through a long tube. He had arrived in Charming the same year Kaylee left. He had a sweet, naïve nature about him. She was somewhat surprised to see him still standing.

At the end of her search, Kaylee breathed a sigh of release. If any other familiar faces swam in the crowd, they were unknown to her.

Knowing that gave her courage to relax, slouching just a little in her bar stool. At that point a Prospect arrived with Tara's shots. Kaylee said thank you, and did her best to keep her eyes focused in front of her.

It was hard to do, however, with all the activity going on around her. People shouted to one another, cheered, and laughed. It was clear that Kaylee and Tara had arrived late to the party, as most of its inhabitants seemed a few degrees above tipsy.

Ignoring Tara's instructions, Kaylee reached for the shot glass.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'you brought her here'?" Jax stood from the bed, where just moments ago he was sitting casually.

"She's my oldest friend, Jax. And she's not here to make trouble, okay?" Tara said, cutting Jax off before he could speak.

It was hard to yell at him, especially with Opie's death still fresh in everyone's minds. But still, Tara didn't like to be bullied. And Jax had a tendency of blowing things out of proportion, anyway.

He rose to the challenge, eyes ablaze. "I don't care, Tara. There's too much going on with the Club right now for her to fucking show up like this."

Without skipping a beat, Tara crossed her arms. "Oh and she's supposed to know that? The entire universe doesn't revolve around the Club, Jackson."

Sighing, Jax ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll have to tell the guys, at least." He said, his tone softening.

"That's fine. But I mean it Jax; no harm is to come to her." Jax's shoulders tensed. "She's not here for any trouble, I promise." Tara soothed, stepping closer to him and putting her hands on Jax's bare chest.

He finally sighed, head lulling back. "Alright. But get her out of here. Soon." He said firmly.

Tara nodded in understanding and stepped back to allow Jax to shoulder his cut and grab his beanie, pulling it tight over his head. She knew his initial reaction wouldn't be good. But at least he wasn't rushing out, guns blazing.

Tara returned to Kaylee's field of vision, Jax beside her. As they neared the bar counter, they exchanged a kiss and parted, Jax heading out the side door. His eyes hadn't tried to find her.

"How'd it go?" Kaylee asked, head resting on her hand, elbow propped against the counter. The shot had done wonders for her nerves.

"As expected; any trouble?" Tara asked, taking a seat.

"None so far. Either no one recognizes me, or I'm just not important enough to acknowledge." She said with a smile.

"No offence, but let's hope for the later." Tara said, reaching for her shot. Kaylee had replaced it just moments before Tara's arrival, and had no problem reaching for the second.

Clearing her throat, Kaylee's eyes found the brace wrapped tightly around Tara's hand. She'd noticed it earlier, but hadn't asked about it. "What happened there?"

Tara sighed. "You sure you want to know?" She said, tone giving way to the beginnings of a most interesting story.

Unable to resist, Kaylee continued. "Well, yeah." Seeing Tara's hesitance, Kaylee pawed her shot glass. "Shall we toast before you spill your guts?" She asked, flashing a charming smile.

Tara returned the grin, two rows of white teeth shining. Kaylee's bright attitude was infectious. Something Tara missed, and so deeply needed. "Alright. To Biker boys." Tara said, lifting her glass to Kaylee.

Raising her own, Kaylee tapped it against Tara's. "Damn them." She said, and they downed their shots.

It took Tara a few minutes to explain what happened to her hand. It was tricky business, trying to tell the most truth, without revealing the attempt on her life. She wasn't sure if being a forensic examiner gave Kaylee access to hospital records. Hoping not, Tara did her best to sound convincing about the 'mugging-gone-wrong'.

"Holy shit, Tara!" Kaylee exclaimed. She straightened up, unsure if a hug was appropriate or not. She decided against it. Tara wasn't touchy feely, and very low maintenance when it came to friendship. It was one of the reasons they worked together so well. "Tell me they caught the guys."

"Mm, yeah. More or less." She said.

Kaylee raised an eyebrow, not at all convinced. But; perhaps the club was involved somehow. If so, she knew Tara wouldn't tell her. Kaylee decided to let it go, and focus instead, on the second (her third) round of shots.

There was laughter hanging in the air between her and Tara. Liquor clung to their breath as they swapped stories about the years passed, both together and apart. It had been so long since either of them had a genuine good time. Tara hadn't forgotten about Jax's orders to take Kaylee home. She was just about to pick up her purse and motion for a prospect, when the front door of the clubhouse swung open.

And in walked Chibs Telford.

* * *

**Let me know what you think =)**


	3. Satisfaction

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons Of Anarchy, FX, or any of it's affiliations.**

* * *

In a room full of black leather and brown walls, crimson red stood out quite nicely. It was the first thing Chibs saw. Then it was the face connected to the hair, well-shaped, angled even. Then the petite body, all curves. It was around that time that Chibs realized it was Kaylee.

She noticed him immediately. Every time the door opened, she would turn and look, for fear of who it may be. Well, her paranoia proved to be right; because it was plain as day that he'd seen her too. The look on his face was not pleased.

But before either could react, an extremely inebriated Juice pounced on Chibs's shoulders, nearly knocking the Scot over. "CHIBS," He cried. "You're here! What took you so long, buddy? I'm already kind of tipsy."

Chibs gave him an appraising look. "Yea, I see that." Chibs said, thoroughly distracted. By now his mind was working enough to notice that Kaylee too, had seen him. Her pale cheeks were flushed, head turned towards him, but her expression was hidden by a curtain of red hair.

"He's here." Kaylee whispered, turning her head just a fraction towards Tara.

"He-He is?" Tara craned her neck to look around. "Oh shit." Eyes finding him, Tara quickly ducked her head and moved it towards Kaylee's.

_God dammit_. Tara kicked herself inwardly. She should have listened to Jax, and gotten Kaylee out of the clubhouse well over an hour ago. Now what would they do?

"Tara, we have to go." Kaylee said, and began reaching for her purse at her feet. Tara followed suit, saying: "We'll leave out of the back. Shit, I'm sorry, Kaylee."

Not at all blaming Tara, but too scared to continue speaking, Kaylee rose from her seat.

The sudden movement was not lost on Chibs. And as the two girls began to step away from their seats, he snapped back to reality. "So I was thinking, remember when you guys left me in-" Juice was speaking, still hanging onto Chibs's shoulder. He nearly fell onto his face as Chibs sprang forward.

"Oh no you don't. Get back here, lass!" Chibs voice hit Kaylee like a bolt of lightning. She stopped in her tracks without even realizing it.

Kaylee felt all the blood in her body drain downwards to her toes. She grew cold, unable to move one foot in front of the other. The sound of his boot-falls was growing closer, sending a shiver through Kaylee with each step. When he finally stopped, she could feel his closeness, just a few feet full of empty air between them.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Kaylee realized that her eyes were closed. And upon opening them, saw the entire clubhouse had gone silent.

"She's not here for trouble." Tara said, moving to stand closer to Tara. But the Scot wasn't listening. His gaze was impenetrable and focused on Kaylee, who had yet to make a sound, let alone turn around.

Tig was on his feet, staring directly at Tara and Kaylee. The bottle that was just moments ago in his hand, lay in shattered pieces on the floor. Juice, who seemed to have sobered up considerably, was also watching them, eyes narrowed in curiosity. No one else from the club was within, and that, Tara was thankful for.

"Kaylee, let's go." She urged, reaching for her friend's arm.

A sharp growl from Chibs shocked Tara, causing her hand to fall to its side before finding Kaylee.

"You-get out of my clubhouse." Chibs said darkly.

Kaylee pinched her eyes shut and whimpered. There were tears behind her eyes, flooding her vision and threatening to spill over. She hated to cry, especially in front of so many people.

She felt like a parasite. In all her wildness dreams, Kaylee never imagined being treated with this sort of hostility. The rejection was painful, settling at the bottom of her stomach like a sinking rock.

Tara watched Kaylee's closed eye-lids quiver and shake, giving way to a stream of tears. Heart breaking for her friend, she shot Chibs a furious look, put her arm around Kaylee, and led her friend outside and away.

* * *

Three hours later, Chibs sat on a bar stool next to Tig. He was five shots deep, sweat glistening on his face.

The party had just begun to break up, and a significant quietness settled on the clubhouse. A half empty bottle of Jameson lay bathed in finger prints in front of Chibs. He reached for it and filled his glass for another double shot.

"Want me to scare her off? Maybe I-"

"No." Chibs cut Tig off. "She's here for a reason. I want to know why."

Tig winced. "Well, from what Jax says, she aint here for trouble. Guess she accepted a job in Lodi. Forensic examiner."

"Great." Chibs drolled, the r's running off his tongue like a purr.

Juice, fresh from puking, appeared at Chibs's elbow. "We talkin' about the read head?" He asked. His answer came in a slew of colorful language, sent straight from Chibs's mouth. He was positive some of it was in Gaelic.

"Alright, alright. But who is she?" He asked, hopping on the stool next to Chibs and motioning for a beer.

"No one worth talking about," Said Tig, taking a swig from a fresh, unbroken bottle of vodka. Juice nodded, and didn't ask any more questions.

* * *

The sun rose over Charming, casting an angelic beam of light through Kaylee's hotel window, and down onto her still body. The brightness stung Kaylee's eyes, jolting her awake. She groaned, burying her head in her pillow as a pounding headache vibrated through her skull. As much as she'd like to, sleep had escaped her, and Kaylee was forced to wake and face the day.

Numbly, the Irish-Woman undressed, throwing last night's clothes on a dis-shelved suitcase. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she entered the bathroom and flicked on the lights. She wasn't ready to look at herself yet, as memories from the night before came flooding back.

Starting the water, her mind began to swarm.

How could she be so stupid? Kaylee thought, while the warm water ran through her long red hair. Chibs's reaction was incredibly painful to recall. The thought caused Kaylee to close her eyes in pain. Seeing him, even if it was from a distance, sent all kinds of emotions running through her. Rage and hurt, mostly.

What shocked her most was the rage he had towards her. Chibs had a temper, sure. But compared to the rest of the Club, he was level headed and reasonable.

Kaylee wasn't sure what exactly she should make of the encounter. Exiting the shower, though, Kaylee came to a conclusion. There was no way of knowing if this was the last time she would see Chibs, or if she did, what would come of it. There were more important things she had to deal with, like for example, finding a house to rent…

* * *

Mr. O'Riley owned three houses in charming. The largest, five bedroom bungalow, was home to himself, his wife, and three sons. The second he rented to a Lawyer, who was probably his best tenant so far. The man was often gone, but his checks always arrived on time and exactly right. He never complained about the condition of the house, or demanded anything be altered or fixed.

The third home, however, was a vacant, small house made of all brick. It didn't keep heat in very well, though who needed it with the kind of weather Charming had been seeing. It was modestly small, and suitable for a college student, or by the grace of god—another out of town lawyer.

Those were hard to come by in Charming, though. And the poor house had remained empty for more than a few years.

It was perfect, however, for Kaylee. So far she had visited six houses. One of them had a neighbor, whose door was not ten feet from her own, that raised, big, loud, obnoxious dogs. Another had a leaking roof, and a less than up-to-code basement. Kaylee was sure she would lose her nerve up on entering a house that was occupied by over two dozen feral cats. The rest, for whatever reason, just weren't right.

"Hasn't been lived in for about five years. Gonna' need some time to clean it up." Said Mr. O'Riley, unlocking the house's front door and holding it open from Kaylee.

"How long will you need?" She asked, not at all inclined to stay another week in a run-down hotel room.

Mr. O'Riley rubbed his chin. "Well, a week or two. I gotta get the city up here to make sure everything's runnin' proper. Gotta get it cleaned up, too."

Kaylee nodded in understanding, doing a half turn around the living room, which was rather small. She didn't mind, though. She had no furniture to speak of, as is.

"I'll wait here. You go ahead and get a proper look around." Mr. O'Riley said, lighting up a cigarette.

The master bedroom as large, located on the second floor, and Kaylee immediately knew where she would put her bed and dresser, because the far wall was lined with in-laid shelving, perfect for her many books.

The entire house was covered in wood flooring, which pleased Kaylee. Carpets were too much to maintain, and either way, she preferred sweeping over vacuuming.

By the time Kaylee returned to Mr. O'Riley, she had the entire house mapped out in how she would arrange it; including the kitchen, the spare room as an office, and the small, but finished attic. Her decision had been made.

"Well, it's alright." She said, reaching Mr. O'Riley. There was a flicker of panic in the eyes of the older man. "Well rents cheap." He said quickly. The thought of having to pay taxes on a spit of land he wasn't earning on was almost too hard to bear.

"How cheap?" Kaylee asked, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"Five hundred a month and you got yourself a house." He said, sweeping his arms out wide as if to amplify the grand-ere of his gesture. The only thing he succeeded in doing was stir up a cloud of dust.

Kaylee pretended to cough, fanning her hand in front of her face. "Water included?" She choked.

In the end Mr. O'Riley agreed, if not begrudgingly, to Kaylee's list of demands; including but not limited to, her landlord taking responsibility for maintaining the grounds, fixing the front gate, and trimming the branches to a tree that looked as if it would fall over into the master bedroom at any moment.

Kaylee drove away in her rental, satisfied, and in agreeance to return the next day to sign the paper-work.

The clock on the dash read 4:26, and Kaylee was shocked to realize, that other than a half a pot of coffee, she still hadn't ate yet.

Picking up her cell phone, Kaylee hit "2" on her speed-dial. After three rings, Tara's voice came on the line. "Hello?"

"Hey." Kaylee said. "I found a house."

"Oh, that's great." Tara was happy for her friend, but obviously distracted.

Kaylee turned onto the on-ramp for the free-way. "Well, hey, listen. I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch?" Switching lanes, she added. "Oh and I'm on my way."

Tara's laugh rang through Kaylee's ears. "Alright, but it might take me a minute. Just finishing up with a consult."

"Alright, see you then." Kaylee hung up the phone, and switched on the wiper blades; as it began to rain.

* * *

**What did you think? Sorry there isn't much of Chibs, but be patient, all! Please, if you've read this, leave me your reviews. **


End file.
